JPH11288407A - Configuration of client software to use remove notice - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep contact with an existing user of a software application by executing a desired task through initializing a program by means of a processor, and transmitting a first signal from a first processing system to a second processing system. SOLUTION: A desired task is executed by initializing the program of an application software A stored in a memory 185 of a client 110 as a first processing system through a client processor 170. In response to this execution, a server 100 as a second processing system automatically receives the first signal representing state information from the client 110 through a communication network 130 according to a program instruction contained in a software 187 stored in the memory 185 of the client 110. Thus, contact with an existing user of the software application A can be kept.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the distribution of information. More particularly, the present invention relates to information distribution using remote notification, and is particularly suited for distributing new software upgrades (improvements) over networks such as the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Software applications running on a user's computing device become obsolete as new versions of software are developed. Software distributors face the problem of notifying existing users that an upgrade to a software application is available, and convincing the user to obtain and install the upgrade. First, users of software applications typically do not actively attempt to initiate contacts with software distributors to obtain upgrades. Further, software distributors often lose contact with users of previously distributed software applications. With this loss of contact, distributors cannot easily offer upgrades and new products to users of previously distributed software applications that would be interested in offering the new product. In addition, users face the inconvenience of having to obtain and load upgrades or new software products, even when notified of upgrades or other products. Recently, a number of software applications have become available via electronic distribution, particularly over the Internet. In the typical case of distributing software over the Internet, the distributor maintains the software application on a server at the distributor's website. Information about ordering and downloading software applications from websites is available at the distributor's Internet website, for example, at their download page.

A potential user can access a distributor's website via the Internet, for example, using a personal computer or other computing device at the potential user's home, office, or other location. The distributor's web page is conventionally downloaded to the potential user's computing device and can be manipulated by the potential user to order one or more desired software applications. These applications are then automatically downloaded from the distributor's web server to the user's site and installed on the user's computing device.

[0004]

While the Internet has made ordering and distribution of software applications efficient in some manner, distributors have maintained contact with current users of software applications, or It does not make it easy to notify the user of the upgrade and convince them to order and install it, or to consider purchasing a new product proposal. In practice, it has become somewhat difficult to maintain current contact with users because the starting point of the distribution is not a storefront but a website. Distributors can call,
Attempts can be made to maintain contact with the current user by using communication channels such as mail and Internet e-mail. However, these communication channels tend to be expensive, inefficient and / or difficult to target.

Accordingly, (i) maintaining contact with existing users of the software application, (ii) notifying existing users of the software application of software upgrade availability and new product proposals, and (iii) software Inexpensive to allow existing users of the application to conveniently obtain and install software upgrades and new products;
There is a need for a method that is efficient and well targeted.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a technique for maintaining contact with existing users of a software application. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for notifying existing users of a software application of the availability of a software upgrade. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for proposing new products or transmitting new information in a well targeted manner. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide techniques that make it easier to conveniently obtain and install software upgrades and new products. It is an additional object of the present invention to perform the above objects inexpensively and efficiently.

[0007] Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, including the following detailed description, and the practice of the invention. While the invention will be described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited. Also, if you are a person skilled in the art,
After reading the art presented herein, additional implementations, modifications and implementations will be made which will make significant use of the invention without departing from the invention disclosed and claimed herein, and will not be subject to use in other fields. It will be clear that this can be done. According to the present invention,
Communication between multiple processing systems, such as clients and servers, interconnected by a network, comprises a computer program having first and second instruction sets.
Maintained by storing in one or more processing systems. These instructions may be stored on any suitable memory device. The first set of instructions includes a program that can direct the applicable system processor to perform a desired task.

[0008] In response to the program being initialized by the processor of the first processing system to perform the desired task, the processor, based on the second set of instructions,
A first signal is generated that represents information such as an identification of a current version of a first set of instructions stored in the first processing system. Initialization of the program is performed, for example, when the program is first loaded from an applicable memory device,
Alternatively, at some other point in the operation of the first processing system related to the execution of the desired task. The first signal is sent to a second processing system, for example, a network server where the program was originally downloaded. Transmission of the information represented by the first signal links the first and second processing systems. Second
May now communicate with the first processing system for the purpose of upgrading the first set of instructions, proposing new products and / or providing other information.

It will be appreciated that the processing system is, for example, a personal or network computer, workstation, minicomputer, mainframe computer and / or other network device and combinations thereof. The first set of instructions is, but need not be, an application program already distributed over the network, for example, downloaded by the second processing system to the first processing system. The network is a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WA).
N) or other types of networks, including the Internet. According to another feature of the invention, in response to the first signal, the second processing system automatically sends the second signal to the first processing system. This second signal is representative of information available to the second processing system or another processing system. This second signal contains the information itself, which can be of virtually any type. In a preferred embodiment, the second signal is information associated with the upgrade of the first set of instructions, eg, a textual description of the features of the new version of these means, and / or some other form of information, eg, new information. Includes an indicator, such as an icon symbol, that indicates that information about the product or the like is available.

A display, which may be of any type, is typically provided in the first processing system to facilitate the display of new upgrade descriptions and indicators of the availability of other forms of information. The first of the instructions represented by the second signal
The upgrade description for the set is preferably displayed periodically at intervals that can be selected at the input device of the first processing system. For example, an indicator that is a button icon may be used to request available information represented by the indicator, for example, by clicking the button icon using a mouse as an input device until it is activated. Preferably, they are displayed continuously. This indicator is removed from the display in response to a button being pressed. Removal of the indicator from the display may, of course, occur at any time after the input command has been entered, for example, when available information is received, processed, or stored in the first processing system. Occurs. Preferably, the first processing system includes a memory for storing the first and second values, one of which is changed in response to the second signal. For example, one value may be changed when the second signal is received or processed by the applicable processing system, such that when both values become unequal, information other than upgrade information is available to indicate. Turn on the display.

[0011] In some embodiments, the second processing system preferably determines, in response to the first signal, whether the first processing system is within a defined group. For example, the group may be within a particular business or industry, within a particular region, or within any other desired group. In such a case, the second signal is transmitted to the first processing system only if it is determined to be within the defined group. As described above, an input device, such as a mouse, can enter commands into the first processing system to request information available from a second or other processing system. In response to the entered command, a third signal is generated by the first system processor and transmitted to a second or other processing system based on the second set of instructions, thereby making it available. A request for sensitive information.
Preferably, in response to the input command, one of the first and second values is changed again so that the values are no longer equal and the indicator is removed from the display.

In response to the third signal, the second processing system transmits a fourth signal representing the available information itself, or a link to the available information, to the first processing system for processing. I do. Advantageously, at least some form of display information is displayed on the display of the first processing system. According to yet another feature of the invention, the first processing system has a network browser, such as an Internet web browser, stored in its memory. Using this network browser, the system processor can operate to search for web pages over the network. The searched web page can then be displayed on a display of the first processing system. Preferably, an indicator of the information represented by the second signal, eg, information related to the upgrade and / or other forms of information, is displayed within the web page.
The other type of information represented by the fourth signal, i.e., information other than that associated with the upgrade of the first set of instructions, that is transmitted from another network processing system to the first processing system is: Loaded in network browser.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For a full understanding of the present invention,
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a system for sending and receiving automatic message notifications and a remote client entity. Server 100, client 110 and at least one message server 120
Communicate with one another via a communication network 130. Communication network 130 may be of any type, but in the preferred embodiment is the Internet. The server 100 includes a processor 140 and a memory 105
including. The memory 105 stores the software program 15
9 and beta base 155 are stored. The database 155 is the current version number 158 of the particular software application, including the current version number 158, referred to as Application A and stored as part of the program 159, a list of clients 157, and persistent state information. Information 160 about the availability of the message.

The client 110 includes a processor 170 having an elapsed time counter 171 and a display 18.
0 and a memory 185. Memory 185 stores database 190 and software 187, which includes the version of software application A currently running on processor 170. Client 110 communicates with server 100 via communication network 130.
And displays the web page 1 on the display 180.
95 and 197 can be commanded to be displayed.
An accept / reject button 191, a message waiting indicator 192, a configuration or upgrade message 193, and a client status change directive 198 are shown and shown in a web page 195 on the display 180. The message 196 appears on a separate web page 197.

The database 190 includes a universal resource locator (URL) 210 associated with the server 100.
, A first persistent state value A230 and a second persistent state value B240, and a message server 120
And a frequency URL 260 including a URL 250 associated with the URL. This frequency time, if available, is the user-selected minimum time between upgrade availability notifications. Still referring to FIG. 2, in step 300, in response to the client processor 170 initializing the application A software stored in the memory 185, the server 100 executes the software stored in the client memory 185. 18
Client 11 according to the program instructions contained in 7
From 0, a signal representing status information is automatically received via the communication network 130. Among other information, the state information includes the client version number of software application A stored in memory 185. The software application A runs on the server 100
Or client 110 from a different network server
The first one downloaded. Alternatively, software application A can be loaded directly onto client 110 from a floppy disk or other physical storage medium.

In step 320, the server 100 sends the client version number of the software application A stored in the client 110,
Compare the current version number 158 of software application A stored in memory 155 of server 100 and determine whether current version number 158 is greater than the client version number. If so, in step 330, the server processor 140 generates configuration information 196 according to the program instructions forming part of the software 159 stored in the server memory 105. Configuration information 196 is a configuration message 193 that includes information regarding available upgrade features of software application A for current version number 158.
And a proposal to download an upgrade for software application A. The configuration information 196 includes
Also includes an accept / reject button 191. The configuration information 196 further includes a client persistent state change directive 198. Further, the server processor 140, in accordance with the program instructions, in step 330,
, The client 110 is instructed to transmit the configuration information 196. The server processor 140 determines in step 350 whether the offer was accepted or rejected by the client 11 for downloading the upgrade.
Determined by receiving a new request from 0. If the proposal is accepted, the server 100 first downloads a web page containing a link to the software upgrade. At step 360, in response to the user clicking the link, the server 100
Downloads a new version of the software to the client 110.

In step 460 of FIG. 3, configuration information 196 including configuration message 193 and accept / reject button 191 is displayed on client display 180. By clicking on the displayed accept / reject button 191 to accept the upgrade of software application A, a signal is generated and communicated from client processor 170 via communication network 130 to server processor 140 and responsive thereto. The server processor 140 then instructs the client 110 to download a web page containing a link to the upgrade at step 360. If accepted, the upgrade is downloaded and stored by the processor 170 in the client memory 185. By clicking the Accept / Reject button 191 to accept or reject the upgrade, the configuration information 196 is displayed, as shown in step 370.
Is removed from the display 180. The configuration information 196 continues to be displayed during the current session until the button 191 is clicked, and is re-displayed during each future session according to the selected minimum time period between upgrade notifications. If the upgrade was accepted or rejected, the previously displayed configuration information 196 will not be displayed during future sessions.

Also, as shown in step 380, the server 100 sends the client 110 to the client 157.
1 containing a list of items and its related information 160
Compare with 55 to determine if a message for client 110 is present. Information 160 indicates whether the message exists. For example, client 11
0 is the list of the client 157 and its related information 16
If present at 0, the URL for the message server 120 where the message is stored, which is also included in the information 160, is retrieved by the server processor 140. This message may be a general message sent to all clients, or may be specific to individual clients or groups of clients. More specifically, if server processor 140 determines that a message for client 110 is present, server processor 140 sets the persistent state information for A230 equal to a value at step 385, and At 390, the value is sent to client 110. Otherwise, step 39
At 5, the server processor 140 does not set the value of the persistent state information, ie, does nothing, and
The value of 0 is kept the same. If a message for client 110 is present, server processor 140 sends the URL of message server 120, and the message is stored in client processor 170, as shown in step 390.

Still referring to FIG. 3, when initializing software application A at client 110 by loading software application A from client memory 185 for execution on client processor 170, for example, In step 400, the client processor 170 generates and transmits a signal representing the state information to the server 100.
In response to this information, the client 110 may send configuration and / or other information to the server 10 at step 410.
Receive from 0. The configuration information indicates the availability of the upgrade for software application A, while the other information is persistent state information 196 that indicates whether the message is available and, if so, where it is stored. including. If a new upgrade of the software application is available, the configuration information 196 includes a configuration message 193 with information about the new version of the software application and a suggestion to download a new version of the software, and an accept / reject button 191. And If a message is available, the other information is A
The value of the persistent state information for 230 and Client 1
Message server 120 in which ten messages are stored
URL.

As described above, when the message 194 of the client 110 is obtained, the value of the received persistent state information is set to A230, otherwise,
The value of the persistent state information of A230 is not changed. In step 420, the client processor 170
The server 10 issues an instruction to set A230 to the value A '.
Determine if a 0 has been sent, ie determine if a message is available. If so, the processor 170 proceeds to step 425 where the database 1
Set persistent state value A230 stored in 90 to permanent state value A '. At step 430, the processor 170 determines whether the value of A230 currently stored in the database 190 is not equal to the value B240 also stored in the database 190. A
And the state values 230, 240 of B and B are not equal,
The client processor 170 activates the MWI 192 at step 500. otherwise,
Client processor 170 does nothing at step 435 and MWI 192 is not activated.

The client processor 170 also determines in step 440 whether configuration information 196 has been received. If so, the client processor compares the value of the elapsed time counter 171 with the value of the frequency time 260 at step 450. Otherwise, the client processor ends processing of the new version at step 445. The elapsed time counter 171 indicates whether the configuration information 196 was last displayed or the display
The passage of time since being instructed to be displayed at 80 is continuously counted. Client processor 170 displays configuration information 196 only when the value of elapsed time counter 171 indicates that the period since information 196 was last displayed is equal to or greater than the frequency time. The frequency time is set by the user during installation and specifies the shortest time between notifications.

Thus, if the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the frequency time 260 stored in the client memory, the client processor 170 commands the display of the configuration information 196 at step 460.
The client processor 110 monitors at step 470 to see if the user has accepted or rejected the offer. If the user accepts the suggestion, the client processor 170 requests and loads a new version of the software at step 480, as described above. Also, the client processor 170 determines in step 490 that the display 1
Command to remove the configuration information 196 from 80. Still referring to FIG. 4, when the user clicks on the message waiting indicator 192, the client processor 170 detects the selection at step 600. At step 610, the processor 170 sends the message server UR stored in the client memory 185.
At L, the message server 120 is contacted.
In response to the contact by the client 110, the message server 120 searches for a message for the client 110, for example, a web page. The message server 120 sends the message, which is received by the client processor 170 at step 620 and displayed in the web page 197 of the display 180 as a client message 194 at step 630. Client processor 1
70, in step 640, the database 190
Set the persistent state value B240 in to the current value A230, ie, equal to the value A ', and step 65
At 0, the MWI is removed from the display 180.

While the invention has been described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited. The various features and aspects of the invention described above can be used individually or together. Furthermore, while the present invention has been described in relation to implementations for particular environments and for particular purposes, those skilled in the art are not limited to the effectiveness of the invention and It will be apparent that the invention can be used to advantage in any number of environments and implementations. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims be construed in light of the full scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for sending and receiving automatic message notifications according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating some steps performed in automatic message notification according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating another step performed in automatic message notification according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating yet another step performed in automatic message notification according to the present invention.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Christopher M. Wakert Massachusetts, USA 02139 Cambridge Mass. Avenue 950

Claims (37)

[Claims] 1. A first processing system and a second processing system interconnected to the first processing system by a communication network.
Storing a computer program having a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions in a first processing system, wherein the computer program is stored in the first processing system. Initializing, performing a task associated with the first set of instructions, and transmitting a first signal from the first processing system to the second processing system, the transmission being responsive to the initialization of the computer program. And performing based on a second set of instructions. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first signal represents an identification of a currently stored version of a second set of instructions. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a second signal representing information available from the second processing system from the second processing system to the first processing system in response to the transmitted first signal. The method of claim 1 comprising providing. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the available information is one of information about an upgrade of a first set of instructions and something other than an upgrade of the first set of instructions. 5. A command is input to the first processing system to request the available information from the second processing system, and a third signal representing the request for the available information is included in a second set of instructions. In response to the input command, transmitting from the first processing system to the second processing system, and in response to the third signal, transmitting the available information from the second processing system to the first processing system. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of: 6. The method of claim 3, wherein said second signal represents a description of said available information, and further comprising displaying said description in a first processing system. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said description comprises text. 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying the description periodically in a first processing system. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said description is displayed periodically at selected time intervals. 10. The method of claim 3, wherein the second signal represents a symbol, and further comprising displaying the symbol in a first processing system. 11. The second processing system further comprising determining whether the first processing system is within a defined group of processing systems, wherein the second signal is generated by the first processing system. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method is transmitted from the second processing system to the first processing system only if it is determined to be within the defined group. 12. The second signal includes at least one of an upgrade description and other information indicators for the first set of instructions, and further includes at least one of the upgrade description and other information indicators. 4. The method of claim 3, including displaying one in a first processing system. 13. The method further comprising storing the network browser in the first processing system, arranging the web page on the network based on the network browser, and displaying the arranged web page in the first processing system. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the upgrade description and other informational indicators is displayed in a web page at the first processing system. 14. An indicator of the other information is displayed, and further comprising inputting a command to the first processing system to request the other information, and responsive to the input command. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the other information is transmitted from a second processing system to the first processing system, and the indicator is removed from a display. 15. The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing the network browser in the first processing system, and wherein the other information transmitted from the second processing system to the first processing system is loaded into the network browser. Item 14
The method described in. 16. A method for storing a first value and a second value in a first processing system, wherein one of the stored first value and the stored second value is responsive to the second signal. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of changing the indicator to light on a display. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said first and second values are initially set to equal values. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein one of the first and second values is changed such that the values are equal or unequal. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of further changing one of the first and second values in response to the input command to cause the indicator to be removed from the display. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein a further changed one of the first and second values is changed such that the values are equal or unequal. 21. A processing system for maintaining communication with another processing system in a communication network, a memory configured to store a computer program having a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions; Initialize the program and set the first instruction
A processor configured to perform tasks associated with the set and to respond to initialization of the computer program and generate a first signal to one of the other processing systems based on the second set of instructions. A processing system, characterized in that: 22. The system of claim 2, wherein the first signal further indicates an identification of a current version of the stored second instruction set.
2. The system according to 1. 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to process a second signal representing an indication of information available from another processing system. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the available information is at least one of an upgrade of a first set of instructions and information other than an upgrade of the first set of instructions. 25. An input device configured to accept a user command requesting information available from another processing system, the processor responsive to the input command and based on a second set of instructions, 24. The system of claim 23, further configured to generate a third signal requesting available information to one of the other processing systems. 26. The processor of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to process a fourth signal representing information available from another processing system based on the second set of instructions.
System. 27. A display configured to display an indication of information available in response to the processing of the second signal and to display at least a portion of the information available in response to the processing of the fourth signal. 27. The system of claim 26. 28. The system of claim 23, further comprising a display configured to display an indication of available information. 29. The method of claim 23, wherein the first signal represents an identification of a current version of a second set of instructions, and wherein the indication of available information includes a description of upgrade characteristics for the first set of instructions. System. 30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a display, and wherein said description is displayed periodically at a time interval. 31. The system of claim 30, further comprising an input device configured to input the time interval. 32. The indication of information available from another processing system includes at least one of a description of an upgrade to a first set of instructions and an indicator of availability of information other than the upgrade, and the description of the upgrade. 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a display configured to display at least one of the indicator and the indicator. 33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said indicator is a symbol. 34. The memory is further configured to store a network browser, the processor is further configured to place a web page on a network based on the network browser, and the display is located at the location. 33. The system of claim 32, further configured to display a web page, wherein at least one of the upgrade description and indicator is displayed within the displayed web page. 35. An input device configured to input a command requesting available information represented by the indicator, wherein the indicator is removed from the display in response to the input command. Item 33. The system according to Item 32. 36. The memory, wherein the memory is a first memory and further comprises a second memory configured to store a first value and a second value, one of the values being responsive to an input command. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein is changed to cause the indicator to be removed from the display. 37. An input device configured to input a command requesting available information represented by the indicator, wherein the processor is further responsive to the input command and a second one of the instructions. Based on the set, one of the other processing systems
Generating a third signal to request available information represented by the indicator, and processing the fourth signal to load the available information represented by the indicator into a processing system. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the system is configured to: